Supporting post for fixtures



2 1960 R. BEAL 2,961,212

SUPPORTING POST FOR FIXTURES Original Filed March 6, 1958 United StatesPatent SUPPORTING ros'r FOR FIXTURES Robert Beal, Lansing, Mich,assignor to Structural Products, Inc., Charlotte, Mich., a corporationof Michlgan Original application Mar. 6, 1958, Ser. No. 719,653,

now Patent No. 2,940,718, dated June 14, 1960. Divided and thisapplication June 19, 1959, Ser. No. 821,591

'3 Claims. (Cl. 248-356) This invention relates to supporting posts foradjustably supporting Various items such as brackets, cabinets, shelves,panels, electric lamps and the like.

This application is a division of my prior application for FixtureSupport, Serial No. 719,653, filed March 6, 1958, now Patent No.2,940,718.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a supportingpost for such items as are mentioned above, which can be quickly andeasily installed where desired, without the use of tools, and which willsupport fairly substantial weights.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a post which can beeasily removed for storage or for installation in another location.

Another object is to provide such a post, the principal part of whichcan be manufactured by extrusion.

A still further object is to provide such a post of sturdy construction,the parts of which can be easily constructed and assembled.

These objects are attained by means of a post of unique cross-section,in which longitudinally extending slots are formed in the outer wallthereof and internal webs connect the outer wall portions. They are alsoattained in part by a unique spring pressed plunger fitting into one endof the post and supported and guided by the walls and transverse Webs ofthe post.

In the drawings accompanying the application:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a post and bracket embodying theinvention, parts being broken away to show the construction thereof;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on substantiallythe line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on substantiallythe line 33 of Figure 1 with the bracket removed;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the supporting block; and

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a different form of post.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, and particularly toFigures 1 to 3 thereof, there is shown a supporting post which is anelongated metal extrusion, preferably aluminum, of the cross-sectionshown in Figures 2 and 3. The outside walls are slotted at 11 on allfour sides, leaving corners 12 which are interconnected by diagonal webs13.

At the top of the post is a cylindrical plunger 14 partially closed. atthe top by an annular flange 33 which is provided with four verticalslots 15 equidistantly spaced to receive the webs 13. The portions ofthe side wall of the plunger between the slots are located within thespaces inside the side walls of the post and between the webs 13. Acoiled spring 16 is interposed between the upper ends of webs 13 and theannular flange at the top of the plunger. A rubber pad 17 is attached tothe upper end of the plunger.

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Another rubber pad 18 is attached to the bottom of the post 10.

The post 10 is intended to be supported in a vertical position betweentwo fixed surfaces such as the floor and ceiling of a room. The post iscut to a length shorter than the distance between these surfaces, butthe overall length of the post 10, spring 16, plunger 14 and pads 17 and13 is greater, so that the pad 17 can be placed against the upper fixedsurface in the desired location, the spring 16 compressed by pushingupward on the post and the lower pad of the post placed directly belowthe upper end. When the post is released the spring expands, forcing thepad 18 against the lower fixed surface and the upper pad 17 against theupper surface, securely fastening the post in place.

On the post is a bracket structure for supporting a shelf or the like.It consists of four parts, a bracket 19, a block 20, a bolt 21 having aknurled head 22, and a nut 23.

The block 20 is preferably an aluminum extrusion of the cross-sectionshown in Figure 4. The block has an elongated rib 24 on one side and agroove 25 in the opposite side. The block is drilled to receive theshank of the bolt 21.

The nut 23 is drilled or punched and tapped to receive bolt 21. The nutis narrower in width than the width of slots 11 in the post 10 but islonger than the distance between the webs 13 just inside the side wallsof the post 10.

Bracket 19 is composed of a vertical web 26 and a horizontal upperflange 27. The web 26 is generally triangular but is cut away at thelower corner adjacent the post, as shown in Figure 1, to receive thehead 22 of the bolt. Preferably the web 26 extends downward at 28between the head 22 of the bolt but does not rest thereon. The purposeof this will appear presently.

The flange 27 is extended beyond the end of the web adjacent the post,and the edges are slotted to form a T- shaped end 29.

To attach the bracket structure to the post the nut 23 is loosened onbolt 21, long way of the nut aligned with the appropriate slot 11, andthe nut passed through the slot, with rib 24 located in the slot. Theupper end of block 20 is located at the proper height and bolt 21 isrotated. Any tendency for the nut to turn appreciably is prevented bythe ends thereof striking the webs 13 in post 10, so that the bolt andnut securely clamp the block 20 in position when the bolt is tightened.

The bracket 19 is then turned so that the web 26 is horizontal and theT-shaped head 29 is inserted in slot 11 above block 20. The bracket 19is then rotated to a position wherein the web depends downwardly and thehead 29 is located inside of the side walls of the post on oppositesides of the slot 1 1. The bracket is then lowered until the flange 27rests on the top of block 20 and the end of the web 19 adjacent the post10 is received in groove 25 in block 20.

The bracket structure can easily be adjusted to any desired height onthe post by simply loosening bolt 21 and sliding block 20 up or down. Itis also readily removable by simply turning the bolt until the longdimension of the nut is aligned with the slot and can be pulled throughit.

The only strain on the bolt 21 is the tension created therein by thetightening of the nut and what slight shearing stress is created by astraight downward load. The T-shaped projection 29 takes substantiallyall of the load placed on the bracket.

Figure 5 illustrates a somewhat diflerent cross-sectional shape for thepost. It comprises a cylindrical side wall 30 connected by webs 31. Theside wall 30 of the post is relieved at 32 to receive electrical wiringfor lamps either attached to the post or placed on a shelf, thuseliminating any interference with the T-shaped projections on thebracket structures. attached to the post.

' From the foregoingit will be seen that the present invention providesa simple, easily installed and adjusted fixture support that isremarkably strong, yet is easily fabricated.

The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A fixture support comprising an upright post comprising a segmentalouter wall, the segments of which are separated by longitudinallyextending slots, said segments being connected by an internal transverseWeb, a tubular plunger having one end slidable longitudinally in saidpost, said plunger having slots in the side wall thereof extending fromthe end inside of the post partway toward the outer end of said plunger,said slots slidably receiving said web, an abutment adjacent the outerend of said 2 plunger extending radially inwardly from the outer Wallsouter wall of said post comprises at least three segments and saidsegments are connected together by internal transverse webs intersectingadjacent to the center of the post.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,548,053 Mead Aug. 4, 1925 1,820,950 Schulstadt Sept. 1, 1931 FOREIGNPATENTS 779,452 France Apr. 5, 1935 1,013,702 France Aug. 4, 1952

